Boat construction



April 15, 1952 A. c. HOGGATT BOAT CONSTRUCTION 2 SHEET$SHEET 1 FiledMarch 17, 1950 INVENTOR.

ANDREW C. HOGGATT A ril 15, 1952 c. HOGGATT 2,592,697

BOAT CONSTRUCTION Filed March 17. 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 IN VEN TOR.

flNDRfiW a. Hoamw ATTOQNEYS Patented Apr. 15, 1952 a E STATES PATENTOFFICE Andrew C. Hoggatt, Raymond, Wash. Application March 17, 1950,Serial No. 150,259

3 Claims. (Cl. 9- 6) provide an improved bow construction for a boatwhich construction eliminates the vertical ribs and transverse members,such as Spreaders and thwarts, andat the same time, provides a strongand rigid structure properly molded to the desired contour, which can beapplied to different types of boat hulls, such as V-bottom boats havinga dead rise formation at the bow, and fiat bottom boats, and whichgreatly facilitates the manufacture of boats, and materially reduces theconstruction cost.

Other objects and advantages will become apparentfrom a consideration ofthe following description and the appended claims in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, wherein:

.Figure l is a perspective view of a fragmentary forward portionofaaboat skeleton illustrating the bow construction of the invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the fragmentary forward portion of theboat illustrated in Figure l;

Figure 3iis aside elevation of the stem and heel assembly at the bow ofthe boat;

a Figure '4 is a top plan view of the stem and keel, assemblyillustrated in Figure 3;

, Fi ure is a transverse cross-section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Fi ure ,6'is a transverse cross-section on the line 6460f Figure ,3;

Figure 7 is a transverse cross-section on the line 1-1 of Figure 3;

, Figure 8 is' an elevation of a broken-away bow portion of a differenttype of boat from that ill'ustratedfin Figures 1 and 2 and showing amodified stem constructed according to the invention;

Figure 9 is a cross-section on the line 5-4 of FigureIB;

"Figure 10 is a bowelevation of a completed boat of the type illustratedin Figures land 2; and

Figure 11 is a side elevation of the boat illusstrated in Figure 10.

With continued reference to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1to 7 inclusive, the improved bow construction comprises in general, astem ID, a keel H, a pair of gunwales l2 and i3, a pair of chine strips[4 and 15, a cover It, and may also include a pair of strakes, one ofwhich is indicated at I! in Figure 2.

The stem H), as particularly illustrated in Figure 3, is an elongatedmember of generally triangular, cross-sectional shape having thereina'longitudinaleurve somewhat greater than 90- degrees. This stem has aflat upper end, and has its lower end provided with a notch and a tonguel8 which fits into a notch provided in the keel ll, while a tongue 19provided on the 2 keel extends into the notch provided in the stem, thetongues 18 and [9 being secured together by suitable fasteners, such asthe bolts 20. While the tongue-and-notch construction is typical, it isto be understood that the stem may be joined at its lower end to theforward end of the keel in any suitable way. M

The stem has a front edge and a rear surface 2! and has side surfaces 22and 23 which diverge from the front edge to the rear surface. These sidesurfaces 22 and 23 are also longitudinally inclined relative to eachother, so that the crosssectional shape of the stem varies along thelength of the stem from one end to the other. In the exampleillustrated, the side surfaces 22 and 23 include between them, at theupper end of the stem, an angle of approximately 90-degrees centered onthe front edge of the stem,

and, at the location at which the chine strips i4 and I5 are attached,include between them an angle of approximately fill-degrees also cenwtered on the front edge of thestem. At the location below thechinestrips I4 and i5 at which the strakes I! are attached, the sidesurfaces 22 and 23 include between them an angle ofapproximately30-degrees, and at the forward end of the keel, includesbetween them an angle of approximately iii-degrees.

The two gunwales l2 and 13 are somewhat flexible, elongated strips andare secured at their forward ends to the stem Hi adjacent the upper endof the stem, so that they extend outwardly from the stem in thedivergent relationship of the two side surfaces 22 and 23 of the stem.These gunwales are bent inwardly and are attached at their rear ends tothe boat counter 24 at respectively opposite ends of the counter, andprovide the longltudinalshape of the boat at the top of the boat. Thelarge angle between the side surfaces of the stem at the location atwhich the gunwales are attached causes the gunwales to diverge sharplyat their forward ends, thus providing a blunt, rounded bow shape. Thetwo chine strips l4 and I5 are generally parallel to the gunwales i2 andI3, respectively, and are spaced below the gunwales. At the point ofattachment of the chine strips, as explained above, the angle ofdivergencebetween the side surfaces of the stem has been reduced toapproximately GG-degrees, so that the chine strips do not diverge attheir forward ends as sharply as do the gunwales. The sides of the "boatwill thus slope downwardly and inwardly from the gunwales to the chinestrips.

The bottom of the boat extends from the chine strips to the bottom endof the stem and to the opposite sides of the keel II. Atthe bow of theboat the bottom is concavely curved to provide a dead rise formation,and the stem has a minimum angle between its two side surfaces at thelocation at which the forward end of the bottom is attached to the stem;From this point,the angle between the two side surfaces of the stem Ifthe bottom of the boat is cross-planked,

the strakes I! will be used and at their forward ends set into the stemsubstantially at the location at which the forward end of the bottom ofthe boat is attached to the stem. These strakes gradually turn fromtheir forward to their rearward ends to follow the inclination of theboat bottom'at opposite sidesof the stem and keel. i f

The shape of the stem holds the gunwales, chine strips and strakesfirmly in place at the bow of the boat, so that it is not necessary touse any vertical ribs or to supply transverse members, such as spreadersor thwarts between these members, and the cover 22 may be secureddirectly to the gunwales and chine strips and to the sides'of the stem.

The modified construction shown in Figures 8 and 9 illustrates theapplication of the same principles to a small, flat-bottom boat, such asa rowboat. 'Inthis construction, a stem, gen-- erally. indicated at 25,is provided, which is similar in shape 'to that portion of the stem 10above the bottom edges of the chine strips l4 and I5. 'The's'tem 25'is astraight prism of triangular, cross-sectional shape having a sharp frontedge and a rear surface 26 and side surfaces diverging from the frontedge to the rear surface 26, and converging from the upper end to thelower end of the stem, so that the angle includedbetween them at thetopend of the stem is approximately 90-degrees, while the angle includedbetween them at the bottom end of the stem is approximately 60-degrees'.V I

In this type of boat the gunwales, chine strips and strakes may beomitted and the sides 22 and 28 secured directly at their forward endsto the side surfaces of the stem. The bottom 29 is secured at its sideedges to the bottom edges of the sides 21 and 2 8, respectively, by anysuittheir forward ends to said stem at respectively oppositesides of thelatter and below said chine strips, said stem constituting the soleconnection for the forward ends of said gunwales, said chine strips andsaid strakes and having side surfaces 7 diverging from the front edge tothe rear side able means, and is secured at its front end to the bottomend of the stem 25. The stem is preferably recessed, as indicatedat 39,to receive the forward ends of the sides 2'! and 28 and these sidesdiverge outwardly from the stem and are then brought parallel orsomewhat convergent to the counter at the stern of the boat.

Theinvention may be embodied in' other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The-pres entembodiments are therefore, to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embracedtherein.

What is claimed is: Y

1. In a boat structure, an elongated, curved stem of generallytriangular cross-sectional shape, a keel connected at its forward end tothe lower, rearward end of said stem, a pair of gunwales connected attheir forward ends to said stem at respectivelyopposite sides and nearthe upper end of said stem, a pair of chine strips connected at'theirforward ends to said stem at respectively opposite sides of the latterand below said gunwales, and a pair of strakes connected at of said stemand converging longitudinally of said stem from the upper end to alocation intermediate the length of said stem so that the angle betweensaid chine strips is less than the angle between said gunwales and theangle between said strakes is less than the angle between said chinestrips.

"In a boat structure, an elongated, curved stem'" of generall triangularcross-sectional shape, a keel connected at its forward endto thelower,rrearward end of said stem,.a pair of gunwalesconnected' at theirforward ends to said stem at respectively opposite sides and near theupper'end of the stem, a 'pair of chine strips connected at'theirforwardends to said stem atrespe'ctiv'ely opposite sides of the latter andbelow said gunwales, a pair of strakes connected at their forward endsto. said stem at respectively opposite sides of the latter and belowsaid chine strips, said stem constituting the sole connection fortheforward ends of said gunwales, said chine strips and said strakes andhaving a front edge and a rear surface and side surfaces diverging fromthe front edge to said rear surface and converging longitudinally ofsaid stem from the upper, end to a location intermediate the length ofthe latter so that the angle between said chine strips is less thanthe'angle between said gunwales and the angle between said strakes isless than the anglebetween said chine strips, and side covers secureddirectly to said stem, said gun- Walesv and saidchine strips.

3. In a boat structure, 'anelongated, curved stem of generallytriangular cross-sectional shape, a keel connected at its forward endtothe lower, rearward end of said stem, a pair of gunwales connected attheir forward ends to'said stem at respectively opposite sides and nearthe upper end of the stem, a pair of chine strips connected at theirforward ends to said stem atrespectively opposite sides ofthe latter andbelow said gunwales, and a pair of strakes connected at their forwardends to said stem at respectively opposite sides of the latter and belowsaid chine strips, said stem constituting the sole connec tion for theforward ends of said gunwales, said chine strips and said strakesandhaving a front edge and a rear surface and side surfaces divergin fromthe front edge to said rear surface and converging longitudinally ofsaid stem from the upper end to a location intermediate the length ofthe latter and diverging longitudinally of said stem from said locationintermediate the length of the stem to the other end thereof. 1

V 7 ANDREW C. HOGGATT.

' REFERENCES orrEn The following references are of record in the f le ofthis patent: p p V UNITED STATES PATENTS Date 7 Number, Name 1,119,011-Minett Dec. 1, 1914 1,859,374 Orkin May 24, 1932 2,409,771 1 Moxham'May 21, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Num e s- 11; C t 1 Date (278,480 GreatBritain -o t.-13,1927

